Changes
by MiraElizabeth
Summary: Team Lightyear comes to Queen Mira's aid when trouble strikes her world and her life and the life of her unborn child are put at risk... (Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 finished. Chapter 5 coming soon...)
1. Trouble on the horizon... (Edited and f...

Changes  
  
By: Mira Elizabeth  
  
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is the property of Disney/Pixar. All other characters are mine.  
  
Author's Note: This story takes place approximately two years after "Spirits of the Past." For anyone who did not yet read "Spirits of the Past," Team Lightyear discover a new race of Tangean people called Spirits and their leader Terrin and Mira fall for one another after she is taken captive. I am sorry to be posting this without finishing "Spirits of the Past, " but I've kind of hit a rut with that story, so maybe this will prompt me to finish it. The only spoiler that will occur in this fic in regards to "Spirits" is that Mira and Terrin's blossoming romance is successful. But of course that is the only way it could be, I love happy endings. : )  
  
Thanks for reading and enjoy!  
  
  
  
  
  
Mira Nova sat alone waiting for the view screen in front of her to show the face of the person she had been trying for days to get in touch with.  
  
"Ever since he left for that trip he's been so hard to get in contact with." She mumbled to herself. She leaned back and sighed.  
  
Finally, her waiting paid off and she smiled as the view screen activated.  
  
"Mira! Are you all right? Is something wrong, daughter?"  
  
The young woman smiled to herself. Her father, forever the worrier.  
  
"No, I'm fine. Everything's fine. I just haven't heard anything from you in a few days. I just wanted to know how you've been handling the Alliance Planetary Tour, that's all."  
  
"Don't worry about me, dearest. I'm ready to be coming back to Tangea, especially after two weeks of dealing with all of these other races. But…" He said, seeing Mira opening her mouth to say something. "…I'm fine. I'm handling it."  
  
The young woman smiled. "Good, I'm glad to hear it."  
  
"Besides, you have something bigger to worry about now than me." Nova said with a smile. He looked pointedly at the round, extended belly his daughter was resting her hands on. "How have you been feeling?"  
  
"Tired, but otherwise okay. The doctors are telling me it'll be sometime within the next two weeks."  
  
"Good. I will be returning tomorrow evening. I don't want to miss the birth of my first grandchild."  
  
"I've made this baby promise not to come until after you get here. But I'm glad you're coming back. I need your help." Mira said.  
  
Nova gave an amused smile. "You need my help. This is a first."  
  
She rolled her eyes and shook her head, trying to not laugh. "Be serious, Father. I'm having a real hard time with trying to make sure everyone plays nicely here. No one seems to want to cooperate with me."  
  
"Well my dear, ruling a planet is never easy. And you have the added burden of actively dealing with another race in our midst."  
  
"Yeah, well I wish you were still ruling." Mira frowned. "I'm exhausted."  
  
"I will help you as soon as I get home to Tangea. But please take care of yourself in the meantime."  
  
"I will. I promise. See you tomorrow night."  
  
The view screen went blank and Mira sighed heavily. She hadn't exaggerated at all to her father. She was exhausted and her pregnancy wasn't the only cause. There had been many changes in the two years since her first contact with the Spirits and the weapon that almost destroyed her world.  
  
Tangea's third race of people had been given permission by King Nova to leave their hideaway on Ruya, one of Tangea's moons, and return to live on the planet. Good relations between them and the other inhabitants of Tangea were not going to be easily obtained, as Mira was finding out for herself first hand.  
  
She looked out over her vast throne room, newly redecorated with bright reds, yellows, and purples, wondering if she could ever be an effective queen. So far, even at this early stage of her reign, she was not having a very good time of it. The child within her stirred and she smiled.  
  
'Maybe this baby will help bring everyone together.' She thought. The pregnancy had been a blessing for the new queen and her husband, if for no one else.  
  
The thought of her husband made Mira's smile grow broader. Their romance had blossomed during that terrible time she was held captive on Ruya. Terrin, the Spirits' leader, despite holding her captive, had treated her kindly and had protected her from any other Spirit who had wanted to cause her harm. She had grown to like him, finding him to be handsome, caring, and committed to helping keep peace between her race and his. After the trouble on the moon, Mira returned to Star Command and she and Terrin continued their relationship, realizing before long that they were in love and deeply committed to one another.  
  
Falling in love was not the only thing that had surprised the princess. She remembered the day her father came to see her at the station. They had sat together in the observation lounge as he told her he was stepping down from the throne so she could take her place as Queen.  
  
He was tired of ruling, he had told her. Unable to handle the changes Tangea was experiencing. And he wanted to be able to see his daughter become a great queen and enjoy any future grandchildren without all of the hassles and pressures of being a ruler. Mira had understood all of this. Her father didn't want to end up like his own. Her grandfather had ruled up right up until his death and had been unable to see the successes of his child, unable to help with problems, and unable to spend time with his grandchildren.  
  
With a heavy heart, Mira had left Star Command to take her place on the throne, fulfilling the duty she had to her people, which came first. Terrin had supported her completely and within a few months of her ascension and after some opposition, they were married.  
  
It had been a relatively small affair. Not large and lavish like one would expect the wedding of a crown princess to be. It was just their families and close friends, nothing more. Mira had worn a beautiful gown, simple and elegant, nothing like the one she had been forced to where to her almost-marriage to Fop Doplar. Their honeymoor had been a romantic, but short stay on a lovely moon near Mahambas 6. Finding out she was pregnant happened only a few short weeks after that.  
  
And now here she was, a few days away from giving birth to the next heir to the Tangean throne and her planet was in turmoil.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of her chief advisor, Lord Beldan, a tall thin man with graying hair and a kind face that always put Mira at ease.  
  
"The council is waiting for you in chambers, my Queen."  
  
Mira sighed and gripped the armrests of her throne and attempted to stand up. After a few tries, she realized it was futile and gave her advisor a wry smile.  
  
"Can you help me up, Lord Beldan? You know I can't do things as easily as I used to."  
  
The elder Tangean shook his head and smiled at her, leaning down to help the queen out of her seated position.  
  
"I'm sure you are eager for the baby to be born soon."  
  
Mira gave a little laugh. "You don't know the know how much of an understatement that is. Eager doesn't even begin to cover it."  
  
She took the arm Lord Beldan offered out to her and held onto him as he helped her down the stairs and into the council chambers. The eight members of her council stood up when she entered the room, each still trying to adjust to seeing their queen very pregnant. They waited for her to take her seat, with Lord Beldan's help, before taking theirs.  
  
Mira sat back in her chair and lovingly rested both hands on her round belly. "Now Lord Reno, what is so urgent that you needed to meet with me right away."  
  
The tall, middle-aged councilor at the other end of the table stood.  
  
"It's the Spirits, your Majesty. We've…" He began.  
  
"The Spirits are my husband's responsibility. I don't know how many times I've had to tell you that." The queen interrupted. "We made that very clear when we were married. If you are having problems, speak to him."  
  
"He won't speak with us, refuses to speak with us even. We were hoping you could intervene on our behalf."  
  
Mira sighed. The relationship between Terrin and the council had been nothing but a disaster from the start. The council and her people refused to accept him as a co-ruler of the entire planet and threatened to revolt if she married him. But through tense negotiations a deal had been struck where although he would not officially obtain the title of king and rule over the Tangean affairs, he would be in control of the Spirits and any of their issues.  
  
The queen frowned. "Everyone will just have to get over their differences and soon. This baby is a combination of both races and will sit on the throne when the time comes. I will not raise my child in all of this hassle."  
  
"Your Majesty, if I may be perfectly frank, if you had married a Tangean we would not be dealing with this. And you would not be bringing a child into all of this upset." Reno said. He watched as the queen narrowed her blue eyes in anger.  
  
"You are out of line, Lord Reno." She gripped the arms of her chair so hard her knuckles turned from blue to white and her face turned rigid as she tried to control her temper. "You, as my subjects, should have had faith in my choice of a husband and embraced that choice. You know I would have never married Terrin if I thought that marrying a Spirit would endanger our people in any way."  
  
Mira's face softened a little. "I will speak to him about you. But please, for my sake and for the baby's sake, try to get along."  
  
With Lord Beldan's help, she eased herself out of her chair. "If that's all, I am very tired."  
  
The councilors watched her leave, using Lord Beldan for support as she walked towards her bedchamber.  
  
"The queen has made a mistake. It was bad enough when her father made the decision to allow those people to return to the planet, but Queen Mira furthered it by marrying that Spirit. And this child will not last long if he or she should ever ascend to the throne. Our people will not tolerate it. Just as they are barely tolerating the situation now. Things will get worse…" Lord Reno said. "…And we need to make her see that and do something about it."  
  
"How?" Another councilor asked. "She is carrying that…that…creature's child. She will not deny her child a father. You know how she feels about having grown up motherless and without two parents. To demand that she break the marriage to him would be futile."  
  
"I know, I'll think of something. We will see an end to the Spirits' habitation of our planet and control over our queen. Trust me."  
  
  
  
Terrin pushed the filmy curtains the covered the doorway to their private balcony to found his wife stretched out on a chaise lounge, eyes closed. The sight made the Spirit smile. She looked lovely to him in that soft, flowing blue-green gown, her hair pulled back with a clip.  
  
He walked over to her and Mira opened her blue eyes. She smiled when she saw him and stretched out a hand, which he took in his own. He knelt down next to her and kissed her softly.  
  
"Are you all right? Is the baby all right?" He asked. "Your message sounded urgent."  
  
"I'm fine. The baby is active, but fine." She took his pale hands in her blue ones; the contrast between their colorings was striking. "But we need to talk."  
  
"About the council, right?"  
  
She nodded. "Terrin, you have to work with them. If not for the good of everyone, then do it for our baby. Please."  
  
A stray strand of her fiery red hair escaped from the hairclip holding it back and the Spirit gently brushed it from her face and smiled.  
  
"All right. I'll try, Mira. But that's all I can promise you."  
  
She smiled. "That's all I ask."  
  
He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him. "You know what?"  
  
"What?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and he leaned in close to her ear.  
  
"I love you." He whispered.  
  
Mira smiled. "I love you too."  
  
He kissed her tip of her nose and placed a hand on her belly, smiling. "The baby's moving."  
  
"I know. I can feel it. I swear this child is going to be some sort of acrobat when he or she grows up." The queen placed her hand on top of her husband's and sighed. "I can't wait for this baby to be born. I feel like a Bathyosian whale."  
  
"I'm sure it'll be soon." He kissed her neck and nuzzled her ear. "I hope it is soon. I miss my beautiful wife."  
  
"I'm not beautiful to you anymore?" She asked, pretending to be insulted.  
  
"Of course you are, silly. But seeing you so uncomfortable…I know it's got to be hard for you." He said, trailing his fingertips over her forearm.  
  
Mira nodded. "The doctors said any day now and Father will be home tomorrow evening. Hopefully I won't go into labor before then."  
  
Terrin frowned at Mira's mention of her father. The two men tolerated each other and were reasonably civil, if only for Mira's sake, but it was no secret that Nova had been displeased with his daughter's choice for a husband. Terrin hoped that the baby would finally cement a good and positive relationship between Mira's father and himself.  
  
"Hey…"  
  
Mira's voice brought him out of his thoughts and he smiled at her. She gently put a hand on his cheek and smiled back.  
  
"You looked like you were far away there for a moment."  
  
He placed his hand on hers, moving it from his cheek and squeezing it.  
  
"I was just thinking about everything that's happened. Getting married, you being queen, my people settling on the planet…" Terrin placed a hand on Mira's round belly and ran his hand over it. "Our child."  
  
The couple shared a smile, not noticing Lord Beldan as he walked out onto the balcony.  
  
"Excuse me, Your Majesty…"  
  
Mira looked up. "Yes, Lord Beldan. Is there something that you needed?"  
  
"The council has asked to speak to you again. They said it was urgent."  
  
The Queen sighed and began to shift her body in an effort to stand up. "My duties never end, do they?"  
  
Terrin helped her up and frowned at older Tangean man. "Surely the council can wait until morning. My wife is tired and needs her rest."  
  
"I know. Believe me, I tried to persuade Lord Reno to postpone this until morning, but he said that it was an urgent matter."  
  
"It's all right. The sooner I deal with this, the sooner I will hopefully be able to rest uninterrupted. I'll be back soon." Mira said with a small smile. She took Lord Beldan's arm and the two Tangeans headed off towards the council chambers.  
  
  
  
Lord Reno stood at the end of the long table in the council chambers, staring at the Queen as she was led into the room by Lord Beldan. The other council members stood clustered around him.  
  
Mira looked at her councilor and suddenly felt uncomfortable. Something in Lord Reno's dark eyes sent a sinking sensation down into the pit of the Queen's stomach. The man smiled at her as she took her seat.  
  
"Thank you for meeting with us again, Your Majesty." He said, moving around the side of the table to be closer to Mira's position. "We have decided that the Spirits cannot be allowed to exist on Tangea. Our people cannot be forced to make room for these…these creatures."  
  
"Oh really? And when was this decision reached, Lord Reno?" Mira leaned forward slightly in her chair, frowning. "I am sure it was at some secret meeting, in a secret room or maybe in the shadows somewhere within the palace, hmmmm?"  
  
"Your Majesty, please, our people will not continue to accept this…"  
  
Mira held up her hand, silencing him. "The people will accept the Spirits living on Tangea. The grounders seem to be handling the change well from the reports I have received from the surface."  
  
"We do not care if the grounders are liking this or not. The council has unanimously voted to have the Spirits removed from the planet…" Another councilor spoke up.  
  
"A vote that needs to be finalized by me, which for the record, I will not do. Adding the Spirits will be a good thing for our planet and will allow our people to grow and accept other races. It is high time they did."  
  
Reno narrowed his dark eyes at the Queen's last statement.  
  
"I am sorry you feel that way, Your Majesty."  
  
Lord Beldan eyed Reno warily and put a protective hand on the Queen's shoulder. Something about the councilor's tone of voice made the older man uneasy and he wanted to get the young woman away from the council room.  
  
"Perhaps the Queen should go back to her quarters and rest now."  
  
"No, Lord Beldan…" Reno said, staring icily at Mira. "The Queen will not be going anywhere."  
  
Mira looked up at Lord Reno, her brows drawing together as she glared at him. She started to stand.  
  
"I am leaving now. This discussion is over."  
  
Lord Reno pushed her back down into her chair. Lord Beldan attempted to come to Mira's assistance, but he was held back by two of the other councilors. He watched helplessly as Reno held the Queen by her shoulders, pinning her to the chair.  
  
"As I said before, you are not going anywhere." Reno made a nodding motion with his head and the two guards that had been standing watch near the Queen's chair stepped forward. They took position on either side of the chair and Mira turned her head to look up them. An alarming realization came over her.  
  
"You've had this planned, haven't you?" She said, continuing to stare up at Reno. "This whole meeting was a sham."  
  
Reno shook his head. "Oh no, this meeting was a legitimate attempt to persuade you to remove the Spirits. Just as the meeting earlier this afternoon was. But you are right we have had this planned just in case you did not agree with us. And we gave you at least two attempts to agree with us.  
  
The Tangean released his grip on Mira's shoulders and turned his back to her. He took a few steps forward, running his hand through his dark hair. Reno turned back around to face her and smiled sadly at her.  
  
"I am sorry about this. I had hoped that we could agree on the matter of the Spirits, but your refusal has made that impossible. I am afraid that your time on the throne is coming to an end, Your Majesty."  
  
The councilor paused. "We can no longer have a ruler that consistently refused to look after the interests of the people. Your father started this when he agreed to allow the Spirits to return to Tangea and your child, the supposed next heir to the throne, will be half Spirit. Your family's rule is now over."  
  
The two councilors holding Lord Beldan began moving towards the council room's exit. The older man struggled against the two councilors as they moved him.  
  
"Your Majesty!" He cried out.  
  
Mira whipped her head around to see the councilors ghosting Lord Beldan through the wall, their figures surrounded by a hazy blue light.  
  
"Lord Beldan! Wait! Where are you taking him?" She was frantic now. Her steely composure was now in shambles. Dread filled her entire being as she looked into the dark eyes of Lord Reno. "What's going to happen to me? Please tell me."  
  
"Don't worry. Nothing will happen to him, for now at least. As for you, we are going to keep you here until I make sure that your husband is taken captive. We are taking control of this planet and will finally do what's right for Tangea."  
  
  
  
Next chapter coming soon and be on the look out for the other members of Team Lightyear to be appearing soon… 


	2. The Resistance... (edited and finished)

Changes: Chapter 2  
  
By: Mira Elizabeth  
  
  
  
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is the property of Disney/Pixar. All other characters are mine.  
  
  
  
The servant raced through the hallways, making sure to stay in the shadows as he moved. He finally reached his destination and ghosted through the wall. The servant looked around frantically, checking to make sure that no one had seen him. He rushed over to a console and pressed a button, activating the system. He looked around again to make sure no one was there and then turned his attentions back to the console. He punched a few more buttons and then smiled to himself. The message had been sent.  
  
He just hoped it would reach its destination.  
  
  
  
Buzz Lightyear leaned back in his chair and frowned at the numbers as they popped up on his console's viewscreen. The energy reading taken from the mineshafts on Lindar 5 were fluctuating a little too much for his liking.  
  
"Booster, see if you can increase the signal coming from Lindar 5. Maybe that is causing these readings."  
  
"Roger, Buzz." Booster's cheerful voice came from behind him.  
  
The Ranger watched as a new set of numbers appeared on the screen and he looked up from his console, staring out into the vastness of space, his mind becoming lost somewhere in the stars. The beeping coming from Star Cruiser 42's communication system snapped him out of his momentary reverie.  
  
"Buzz…"  
  
Lightyear looked up at the comm screen and saw the face of Commander Nebula staring back at him. The older man looked tired, upset even. Buzz shifted in his chair and found his voice.  
  
"Yes, Commander."  
  
"The Alliance has just received a urgent communication from King Nova…"  
  
"Is there something wrong with Mi…I mean Queen Mira?"  
  
The Commander sighed. "Apparently Nova was returning back to Tangea when he received a message from the Tangean palace that a resistance group has taken over. Her Majesty has been taken captive and her husband is missing."  
  
"How did King Nova get the message then? I would think that if this resistance group wants control over the royal family, then they would make sure that every member of it was on the planet."  
  
"Somehow one of the palace servants managed to transmit a message to Nova's ship. He's en route to Star Command now." The Commander paused. "He asked that you and your team handle this."  
  
"Was there any other information given? Like who was involved in this rebellion?"  
  
"No. There wasn't enough time for the servant to go into detail. But he did say that he would try to contact the king's ship again if he could. For now, this servant seems to be our only link to the planet. Communications with Tangea have been stopped and this resistance group has not contacted anyone as of yet." Nebula responded. "We need to know what is going on there, Buzz, and to save the Queen."  
  
"Yes, sir. Lightyear out."  
  
The Commander's face disappeared from the screen and was replaced with the Star Command insignia. Buzz sat silent in his seat for a moment, trying to process the information he had received. No sound came from behind him and he knew that Booster and XR were just as stunned and upset as he was. He did not need to see their faces, their silence said everything.  
  
Finally the seasoned ranger turned and looked at his crew. No one said anything for a moment, until Booster finally spoke.  
  
"What do we do now, Buzz?"  
  
"We go to Tangea."  
  
  
  
Lord Reno sat at the end of the council table, his gaze focused on the young woman seated near him. Two guards kept close to the Queen, preventing her from leaving. She was looking at him with such fury that a lesser man might have been intimidated by her glare, but not Reno. He was a seasoned statesman, having served the royal family for more that two decades. The councilor was proud of his position and his people, and he shared his people's prejudices against other races.  
  
But unbeknownst to the Queen and every other ruler he served under, Reno not only shared those prejudices, he embraced them whole-heartedly. He continued to stare at Mira, not saying a word. He hated her, hated the child she was carrying. To Lord Reno she was contaminated, having served in Star Command with the other beings of the universe and having joined in a union with a being of another race. The action that had fully condemned her in his eyes was conceiving a child with that being. He wanted to rid Tangea of her.  
  
"Excuse me, Lord Reno…"  
  
The Tangean turned and looked at the young servant standing nervously behind him.  
  
"Yes, what is it?"  
  
"I…I was sent by Lord Arzekov to tell you that all persons loyal to the Queen have been taken prisoner. He said that there weren't many who opposed the rebellion and most of the ones who did were convinced to agree with the council's position."  
  
"Good. And what of the Spirit? Has he been found yet?"  
  
"No, sir. The palace guards are still searching for him." The servant said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.  
  
"Make sure that he is found and do it quickly. The only one remaining is our former king and he is on his way back to the planet." Reno waved the servant away and then turned his attention back to Mira. "You see, Majesty, you are finished here. No one is loyal to you and no one who will come to your aid and…"  
  
Lord Arzekov ghosted through the council room wall, interrupting him.  
  
"Did you get my message?" Arzekov asked.  
  
Reno nodded. "No one has seen the Spirit?"  
  
The other councilor shook his head. "No, we have no idea as of yet where he has gone. Maybe he has left the planet…"  
  
Lord Reno laughed at Arzekov's last statement. "Do you here that, Your Majesty? Your husband has probably deserted you…"  
  
"No!" Mira cried out, trying to blink back the tears that stung her eyes. "You're wrong!"  
  
"Am I?" Reno smiled at her. "Now, I suggest that you accept your defeat, accept exile, and hope that our people will forgive you for allowing the contamination of our world to happen…"  
  
"Never!" She hissed, glaring up at him. "I am Queen of this planet. I will never step down from the throne, especially to let a traitor like you take control."  
  
Reno slammed his fist down on the table. The young woman seated across the table from him did not even flinch. She just continued to stare at him, her blue eyes filled with contempt and defiance.  
  
"Why you stubborn, stupid…" He started but Lord Arzekov put a hand on his arm, stopping Reno from continuing his tirade.  
  
"Remember, we do not yet have complete control of this planet. We cannot yet account for the whereabouts of her husband and King Nova. Also the Galactic Alliance still considers her our Queen. Your words could have consequences." Arzekov said.  
  
Mira narrowed her eyes in anger. "Yes. I would listen to his warning, Lord Reno. Your words could be your last."  
  
The man leaned across the table, his face very close to hers. "You are in no position to make threats, Your Majesty."  
  
"It is not a threat. If Alliance should ever hear of this, they will send the Rangers and you will have to deal with them. I am fairly certain that Tangea would be outgunned by Star Command."  
  
"By the time the Alliance gets word of this, you will no longer be here and the plan to return Tangea to the way she was before will be well underway." Reno motioned to the two guards positioned on either side of Mira. "Take her back to her quarters, make sure all comm channels are disabled, and make sure no one gets in or out. We'll decide what to do with her later."  
  
Mira was pulled roughly to her feet by the two guards and led out of the council room, each guard having a tight grip on her arms. She struggled a bit, but her pregnancy and her exhaustion prevented her from breaking free from their grasp. Realizing that escaping was going to be futile, she allowed herself to be taken back to her quarters.  
  
And under the watchful eyes of the guards, she waited for whatever fate had in store for her. The Queen felt her baby move and she placed a hand on her belly. Tears filled her eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry, baby. You're not even born yet and already I'm a bad mother." Mira whispered, running her hand back and forth over her belly. "I can't even protect you."  
  
  
  
Terrin followed the servant through the hallways until they reached the palace's shuttle bay.  
  
"Over there…" The servant whispered. "…is the shuttle I was telling you about. If you hurry, you can leave the planet and they will never know. The comm and tracking systems are temporarily down until Lord Reno can transfer them to his complete control. You will not be detected if you leave now."  
  
"I can't leave. My wife, my child…" The Spirit protested.  
  
"Look there isn't any time to argue. All I can say is that Lord Reno's rebellion isn't as foolproof as he would like to think it is. The Queen will be safe. She is the only one who can keep Star Command from attacking. But the Alliance is already aware of this rebellion. I made sure of it." The servant said.  
  
"But why? Why would you help me? Help her?"  
  
"Because it is the right thing to do. Now go. Get to Star Command. Her father will be waiting for you there. I have already made contact with the Alliance informing them that you are coming."  
  
"But how…I mean if the comm channels are down…" Terrin asked.  
  
"We servants know a few tricks. The comm channels are easy to override." The servant smiled.  
  
Terrin shook the man's hand. "Thank you. For everything."  
  
The servant watched the Spirit dart over to the waiting shuttle and within a few moments, the little shuttle had disappeared into the atmosphere.  
  
  
  
"Approaching Tangea, Buzz." XR announced.  
  
"Slow the engines and we'll take position behind Ina." Lightyear said, pointing to the moon closest to the planet. "Ina's ion fields should provide us cover from detection."  
  
"Gotcha." The little robot punched a few buttons on his console and the cruiser's speed slowed. Buzz eased the ship into position behind the small moon, careful not to get too close to Ina's ion fields.  
  
Lightyear pressed the comm link on his console, contacting Star Command. He waited a moment before Commander Nebula appeared on the screen.  
  
"We've reached Tangea, sir, and are now in a holding position behind one of the moons."  
  
"Have you been detected?"  
  
"No, not that I am aware of. I made sure that we stayed behind Ina because the ion fields in the moon's atmosphere will help prevent them from finding out we're here."  
  
The Commander smiled. "Good. We'll need the element of surprise."  
  
"Sir, if I may, getting control of the planet away from the resistance is important, but getting Queen Mira away from the planet should be our first priority." Buzz said.  
  
"Yes, I know. That will be what you and your team will do. Get the Queen off of the planet and to safety. The question is how."  
  
Lightyear thought for a moment, remembering back to a time not so long ago when a certain princess had wanted to sneak a certain small ship past Zurg's defenses. He smiled.  
  
"Commander, do you remember when the Alpha-1 was still a proto-type?"  
  
"Yeah, so…"  
  
"Mira had wanted to use it to pass through Zurg's defenses because the ship was so small."  
  
"The Commander laughed. "I remember that. You were so mad she had come up with such a brilliant idea. But then again, you never liked being upstaged, did you, Buzz?"  
  
Buzz frowned a little, embarrassed. "We could do the same thing here, but with a shuttle. I am positive that a shuttle won't be detected by the resistance. Booster can stay here with 42 while XR and I head down to the planet. The only thing is that we do not yet know where she is being held captive within the palace…"  
  
"Uh, maybe we do." XR chimed in. "Her life signs…"  
  
"Her what? Lightyear, what is that pile of spare parts rambling on about?"  
  
"We still have a copy of the energy signature created by Mira's life signs onboard 42. I could recalibrate my sensors to pick up any matching signatures. I can't guarantee it'll be exact, but it's probably the best shot we have." The little robot said, beaming and obviously proud of himself.  
  
"Good. Get to it."  
  
"Gotcha Pop!" XR suddenly disappeared down the hatch beneath him and up a tube and over to engineering.  
  
The Commander frowned and sighed. "Just get down to the planet and get the Queen. Let me know as soon as you have her safely on board the cruiser."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
The Commander's face disappeared and Lightyear turned to Booster. The large alien's red face was twisted with disappointment.  
  
Buzz sighed. "Booster, I need you here to keep 42 running in case we have to leave quickly…"  
  
"Buzz, I've calibrated my sensors. We're ready to go." XR's voice came over the comm link, interrupting him.  
  
"Let's get going then. I'll meet you on the shuttle."  
  
  
  
Lord Reno ghosted through the wall of the council room, furious that no one had found the missing Spirit. He was at least safe in the knowledge that the Queen was locked away in her quarters under guard. At least that was one person that he didn't have to worry about for the moment.  
  
He stormed down the palace's main hallway, shoving angrily past servants and courtiers, and out onto the large balcony that wrapped around the palace. He stared off into the sky, hoping that a breath of fresh air would help calm him. He had to be in control of everything, including himself, if his plans for the planet were to be successful. He stood there for a few moments.  
  
"Reno, I have news…" Arzekov said from behind him.  
  
The Tangean turned and saw the other councilor's distressed face.  
  
"What? What is it?"  
  
Arzekov sighed. "A shuttle is missing. The Spirit has fled the planet, I am sure of it."  
  
Reno slammed his hand on the balcony's railing and gripped it tightly. "You do know what this means, don't you?"  
  
"Yes, if he has escaped than the first place he will go is to the Alliance. I am sure he has warned King Nova of our situation and I am sure the two of them have sought asylum from the Alliance."  
  
"Right and Star Command will be sending ships to attack. I am sure they are en route now." Reno looked up at the sky. "Everything was going so well."  
  
"What about the Queen?"  
  
"If the Alliance is going to be sending Star Command, well then she is of no use to us…"  
  
Arzekov regarded the other man with alarm. "Surely you don't mean…wait…maybe we could use her to convince the Alliance…"  
  
"No. She has no use to us and I will not have this planet returning to her rule, no matter what the Alliance says. I only know of one way that can be guaranteed."  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 3 coming soon… 


	3. The Escape... (Edited and Finished)

Changes: Chapter 3  
  
By: Mira Elizabeth  
  
  
  
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is the property of Disney/Pixar. All other characters are mine.  
  
  
  
"Okay Buzz, we're here. Now what?"  
  
"What do you mean now what? You're the one with the sensors to detect Mira."  
  
XR held up a finger. "Uh…uh…I said I might be able to."  
  
Lightyear rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Whatever. Now come on…"  
  
The two rangers moved slowly along one of the palace's hallways.  
  
"Nice place." XR said, his voice low.  
  
"You've been here before." Buzz whispered, annoyance creeping into his voice.  
  
"Yeah, but we never get to see anything. The Tangeans always kick us out and be…"  
  
"Would you be quiet? Someone's coming." Lightyear said urgently, interrupting him.  
  
The rangers crouched down behind a large potted plant, each praying that the guards passing by would not see them.  
  
"That was close." XR breathed.  
  
"Yeah. We can't keep this up. It'll take forever for us to get to Mira." Lightyear looked around before a Tangean woman in a pink dress caught his attention. He watched the woman ghost through a spot in the wall not far from their position and then a few moments later she ghosted back out into the hallway, this time she was wearing a shawl over her pink dress. Buzz smiled.  
  
"I have an idea." He grinned at XR.  
  
The little robot's optics went wide. "Oh no. Not again. Anything but that…"  
  
"C'mon." Buzz pulled his robotic teammate down the hall and pointed to a spot in the wall. "There."  
  
"I cannot believe we are doing this." XR said as he carefully cut a hole in the wall big enough for the two of them to fit through.  
  
  
  
Mira sat on the edge of her bed, looking anxiously around her quarters. She had heard no news of her husband, Lord Beldan, her father, or anyone for that matter. She had no idea what was going to happen to her and that scared her. She wanted some answers.  
  
"I have got to get out of here." She mumbled to herself and tried to pull herself into a standing position. Her baby kicked several times and Mira winced a little in pain.  
  
"Okay, baby. I won't try to stand up any more." She sank back onto the bed and sighed. "I guess I am stuck here then."  
  
She pounded her fist on the bed in frustration. Mira couldn't stand feeling so helpless and unable to control the situation. She leaned back on her elbows, staring up at the intricate design on the ceiling, trying to keep herself focused.  
  
Suddenly she heard a noise coming from the far corner of her room. She struggled to sit up and saw the light from a laser coming through the wall.  
  
"What the…?"  
  
The Queen's eyes widened as two figures clad in lavender dresses fell through the wall and into her room. The two figures stood and she continued to stare in disbelief.  
  
The taller figure stood, brushing dust from the ill-fitting dress and the poorly done hairdo. The smaller, rounder figure continued to lie on the floor for a few moments before sitting up. The taller figure moved towards her from the shadows and she could finally see who it was.  
  
"Buzz?!" Mira cried out, shocked to see the face of her former teammate not just because he was standing there in her room, but because it was also sloppily covered in make-up. Then she smiled. "You look absolutely ridiculous."  
  
XR rolled over to where Buzz and Mira were standing. The Queen looked down at the little robot and the back up at Lightyear.  
  
She started to laugh. "Oh my…you are a sight. Both of you."  
  
"I just want it to go on record that this was not my idea." XR said indignantly. "Especially lavender. It's just not my color."  
  
"How did you get in here? There are guards posted everywhere." Mira asked.  
  
"Look, I'll explain everything when we get to 42. But for now we have to get you off of this planet."  
  
"And how do you propose we do that, Buzz?"  
  
"Our shuttle. It's hidden down on the planet's surface." Lightyear responded. "XR and I will just have to transport you down to the shuttle using our jet packs."  
  
A momentary look of nervousness passed over Mira's features and Lightyear patted her shoulder reassuringly.  
  
"Don't worry, we won't let anything happen to you or the baby."  
  
Mira relaxed a little and smiled. "Thank you."  
  
"No problem, but we've got to hurry!" Buzz said urgently. "We don't have much time."  
  
The queen frowned and pointed at her very round extended belly. "Buzz, look at me. Do I look like I will be able to hurry?"  
  
"Okay, so I missed that one little detail."  
  
"Little?!"  
  
Lightyear sighed and grabbed her gently by the arm and led her towards the balcony. "C'mon."  
  
He poked his head out of the door and looked around, checking for guards.  
  
"There's no one there."  
  
"Of course not." Mira whispered. "They wouldn't think of me escaping this way."  
  
Buzz grabbed Mira gently underneath her arms and with XR helping to support her, the two rangers activated their jet packs and carefully lowered themselves to Tangea's surface.  
  
Mira was relieved when her feet touched the ground and she turned to look back up at the royal palace and smiled. No one had followed. They had made it at least this far.  
  
"The shuttle is this way." Buzz said, taking the Queen by the arm and leading her through the woods. "Once we get to the shuttle, we'll head back to 42. I'll explain how we found out about all of this and were able to get onto the planet. We'll also contact your father, I assume he has reached the station by now."  
  
Mira smiled. "Thank you, but what about my husband? Has anyone heard from Terrin?"  
  
"Not as of the last time we were contacted by Commander Nebula. But maybe that has changed. We'll find out once we're on the ship. Now come on, we've got to get going."  
  
  
  
Arzekov ran through the hallway and ghosted into the council room.  
  
"The Queen is gone." He said breathlessly. "She's escaped?"  
  
"What do you mean she's escaped?"  
  
"Just what I said, Reno. I had the guards check on her and she was gone."  
  
"How did this happen? If those idiots had been paying attention to her, she would still be in her quarters!"  
  
"Well, we do know she was helped by someone not Tangean." Arzekov said.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"We found a hole in the wall. Someone helped her escape."  
  
"Then she cannot have gone too far! Find her!" Reno yelled. "And get the tracking systems up and running. I want the space around Tangea scanned for any ships! Now!"  
  
  
  
The Queen was resting comfortably in her former chair onboard Star Cruiser 42. She looked around the bridge for a moment, smiling. It still looked the same, like she had never left. She continued with her story, her three former teammates listening intently.  
  
"So that's what happened. Lord Reno turned the council and most of the population against me. I guess they had been planning this for months. I don't know." Mira shook her head. "I can't believe this. I can't believe my people would turn on me."  
  
Lightyear patted her hand. "I know, but for now you are safe with us and we will get you back to the station. Everything will be fine, you'll see."  
  
Mira sighed. "I hope so."  
  
Buzz activated the comm channel to Star Command and waited. The Commander appeared on the screen and smiled when he saw Mira sitting next to Lightyear.  
  
"I see your mission was successful, Buzz. Good to see you safe and sound, Your Highness."  
  
"It's good to see you too, Commander." Mira smiled back. "Where is my father?"  
  
"Here with us. He arrived a couple of hours ago and he's eager to see you."  
  
"And my husband?"  
  
"He's safe. We got a communication from the shuttle he took from your planet. He is on his way here to the station."  
  
The Queen breathed a sigh of relief and Buzz watched her visibly relax. He knew she needed to hear that everyone she loved was safe.  
  
"I would suggest you come back to the station, Buzz, and we will decide how to proceed as far as taking care of this resistance group. Hopefully we can end this peacefully."  
  
"I don't know about that, Commander." Mira said. "I believe Lord reno is capable of anything. He believes very strongly in his postion that the Spirits are a danger to our world…"  
  
He blue eyes dropped and she sighed. "…that I am a danger to our world."  
  
The Commander sighed. "Buzz, just get her here to the station, all right."  
  
"Yes, Commander. Lightyear out."  
  
The screen went blank and Buzz turned his attention to Mira. He watched as she shifted uncomfortably in her seat.  
  
"Are you all right?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah. I'm fine. Just a little uncomfortable, that's all."  
  
Lightyear cast one more concerned glance over in the Queen's direction before activating the engines. He eased the ship from its position behind the moon, Ina, and the cruiser headed off into space.  
  
  
  
"Sir, a ship has been detected."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Heading from the direction of Ina, sir. Its signature matches those of Star Command star cruisers."  
  
Reno growled in frustration. "Buzz Lightyear. I'm sure of it. Star Command sent him to get her and that must be where she is. Get the cruisers ready. We need to stop that ship before it gets too far."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
  
  
Booster's eyes widened as he looked down on his console.  
  
"Buzz! We've got company!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Heading from Tangea. Five ships. Looks like Tangean battle cruisers."  
  
'Well I guess they've discovered us." Buzz said angrily. "Hold on, everyone."  
  
He maneuvered the ship into a series of complicated moves, dodging around asteroids and chunks of space rock in an effort to confuse the approaching ships.  
  
Frantic beeping coming from Booster's console sent a chill down Buzz's spine.  
  
"Buzz, they're preparing to fire!" The Jo-adian cried out.  
  
"Get us out of here!" Mira screamed as she saw the first laser bursts from the Tangean cruisers explode in front of them. The baby stirred and she put a hand on her belly.  
  
Laser fire continued fly past them, forcing Lightyear to put all of his skills to use in order to avoid the onslaught. The cruiser shook suddenly as it took a hit from the Tangean ships. Buzz pulled hard on the steering mechanism, but it was no use, the cruiser was hit again.  
  
Mira held on to the arms of her chair and closed her eyes, wincing. She felt something strange within her.  
  
"Uh Buzz, I think we have problem."  
  
"Mira, can it wait a minute? I'm trying to deal with this problem first."  
  
"No, it can't wait."  
  
"Well, it's has to. I've got my hands full right now with trying not to get shot."  
  
"I can see that, but I thought you should know I'm in labor."  
  
Buzz's eyes went wide. "You're what?!"  
  
"In labor."  
  
"Mira, this really isn't a good time for jokes."  
  
Before he could react, she reached out and grabbed his arm. The strength of her grasp caused him to turn his head and he looked at her. Buzz had seen many scary and dangerous things on his adventures and he had bravely faced them all, but the expression on his friend's face at that moment made the long-time ranger cringe.  
  
"Does it look like I'm joking?" She growled and she tightened her grip on his arm.  
  
Lightyear gulped.  
  
"All right then." He said slowly. "We have got to lose those ships and land. Something tells me that you having a baby amidst a shoot out is a bad idea."  
  
Mira rolled her eyes and then something caught her attention.  
  
"There." She pointed to a swirling purple mass in front of them. "Khana'el 7. The storms will protect us."  
  
"Yeah, if they don't tear us apart first." XR said.  
  
"We have to take that chance." The queen said, her voice becoming distressed. Buzz opened his mouth as if to speak, but she stopped him. "Please Buzz. Khana'el 7 is our only chance. You know as well as I do that if the Resistance gets their hands on me, I'm dead. And so is this child."  
  
"But Mira, I just don't see how 42 is going to make it through those storms. We've sustained enough damage as it…" His voice trailed off as the young woman's head lowered. Silence filled the bridge.  
  
Finally she raised her head and looked at him. "Please."  
  
"All right. XR, send a distress message to Star Command."  
  
"Roger, Buzz." The little robot began puching buttons on the console in front of him.  
  
Buzz sighed heavily, looked over once again at Mira, and then maneuvered the ship towards Khana'el 7. "Prepare for landing."  
  
"Are you sure they won't follow us?" Booster asked nervously, the ship beginning to shake beneath them as they approached Khana'el's turbulent atmosphere.  
  
"Positive. The cruisers the Resistance are using are not equipped to handle the storms around Khana'el. The hulls are not nearly as resistant as those of Star Command ships. Besides, once we enter the storm field they will be unable to detect us and will probably assume we've been destroyed." Mira said, trying to reassure her former teammate.  
  
"Which we just may be if I can't maneuver the cruiser through all of this turbulence." Buzz said through gritted teeth. "Hold on, everyone!"  
  
Mira grasped the arms of her chair and watched as Khana'el's surface came closer and closer towards them. Behind her she could hear XR praying and Booster fidgeting as the ship continued through the storms and towards the planet's surface. The queen squeezed her eyes shut as Buzz attempted to land the star cruiser on Khana'el's rocky terrain.  
  
  
  
"My lord, we've lost their signal."  
  
Lord Reno looked down at the young Tangean and frowned.  
  
"What do you mean you've lost their signal? We were just firing at them!"  
  
"I-I know, sir. But the star cruiser's signal just faded when it neared Khana'el and we haven't picked it up since."  
  
Reno wandered back to the captain's chair and sat down. Arzekov leaned in next to him, his voice barely above a whisper.  
  
"Could they have been destroyed?"  
  
Reno was silent for a moment. "No. I doubt that. Buzz Lightyear is clever for a human, I'll admit. And the Queen is well aware of how well these ships operate. I am sure she realized we would not be able to follow them into Khana'el's atmosphere."  
  
The Tangean lord stared out at the storms surrounding Khana'el.  
  
"They're on the planet. I am sure of it." He stood up and turned to Arzekov. "And we will wait for them to think it's safe and then we will rid ourselves of our problem once and for all."  
  
  
  
Chapter 4 coming soon… 


	4. The Birth... (edited and finished)

Changes: Chapter 4  
  
By: Mira Elizabeth  
  
  
  
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command is the property of Disney/Pixar. All other characters are mine.  
  
  
  
The dust from Khana'el 7's surface swirled around Star Cruiser 42 as the ship finally stopped and settled on the planet's sandy terrain. Lightyear opened his eyes and stared out through the cruiser's windshield as the dust settled. He blinked a few times and saw Khana'el's sand and rocks.  
  
"Everyone okay and accounted for?" Buzz asked.  
  
A collective moan of acknowledgement filled the cruiser's bridge. The cloud of smoke was lifting and Buzz was finally able to see his console. Warning lights blinked everywhere across the console, obviously showing that the ship was seriously damaged.  
  
He heard Mira shifting in her seat and he looked in her direction.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
She nodded. "Yeah. The contractions are becoming more intense."  
  
The Queen squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth at the last part of the sentence.  
  
"Buzz, what do you want first: the good news or the bad news?" XR asked from behind them. The little robot was screwing one of his arms back into place and staring at the systems console next to him.  
  
"Uh…the good news." Lightyear answered.  
  
"Well the good news is nobody's dead."  
  
"And what's the bad news."  
  
"We will be. 42's systems are almost completely down and there's quite a bit of damage to rear sections of the hull. This ship isn't going anywhere."  
  
"Ohhhhhh…"  
  
Both Lightyear and XR looked over in Mira's direction. The young woman was clutching her belly, her face twisted with pain.  
  
"We have to get off of this planet somehow. Is the distress beacon working?" Buzz stood from his seat and cautiously moved over to Mira. He knelt down next to her chair, looking at her with concern.  
  
"Yeah, I think so." The robot responded.  
  
"You can't use it." Mira said breathlessly, recovering from a contraction. "Even if the beacon does get through the interference caused by the storms, if Lord Reno's cruiser is out there than they'll know we're here."  
  
"Yeah but like you said before, they cannot reach the planet and I am not sure if they would be able to fight off a rescue team sent in by Star Command." Buzz smiled at her. "Don't worry, we'll send out the beacon and see what happens. Everything will be fine."  
  
The Queen nodded slowly and squeezed her eyes shut once more as another pain hit her. At that moment the only thing concerning her was the baby and the pain she was feeling.  
  
"We need to get off this ship and find some cover." Buzz said looking around the damaged 42. He looked out through the windshield and saw tall rock formations not far from their position. He pointed out to them. "Over there. Maybe there's a cave or something…"  
  
He was interrupted by Mira groaning in pain. "We need to get her to shelter."  
  
"Buzz, this could take hours. Just because I'm in labor, does not mean this baby is coming right this second." She said slowly. "Although I wish it would."  
  
  
  
Terrin sat alone in the station's observation lounge, staring out at the stars. Tears stung his eyes and threatened to fall. He heard footsteps behind him.  
  
"Please leave me alone."  
  
"I can't do that." Nova's voice said from behind him. "She is my daughter and she is carrying my grandchild."  
  
The older man sighed and took at seat next to his son-in-law. "I know we haven't gotten along. It is no secret that I would have preferred my daughter to have married a Tangean, but she didn't. She married you and she is having your baby."  
  
"And I love her." Terrin said, turning to face the Tangean. "I love Mira very much. But she is gone and our child is gone and I don't know how I am supposed to accept that."  
  
"You don't because she isn't dead. If there is one thing I do know from my dealing with Buzz Lightyear, it is that he will make sure that Mira gets back safe and sound. She is fine, I am sure of it."  
  
"But Khana'el 7 is…" Terrin protested.  
  
"Is very dangerous, I know, but she's safe. She is with Lightyear. The Commander told us that it could take a while for them to send out a distress beacon, especially if the ship was damaged. We just need to wait. It's all we can do."  
  
Terrin nodded and sighed. He turned his attentions back to the stars.  
  
  
  
"Buzz, help me! The baby's coming!"  
  
It had been hours since the crash and Booster and XR were back in 42 trying to get a distress beacon launched. So far they had been unsuccessful. Buzz had been successful in finding shelter for the little group in a cave and using supplies that were found on 42, they had made a little camp. A fire had been started and Mira had rested on a pile of blankets and pillows, trying to get through each contraction as best she could. Buzz had bravely sat with her, holding her hand through each attack of pain and battling her outbursts of anger and frustration. Things had been as calm and controlled as they could be, but that was now over and Buzz was flipping frantically through a small book.  
  
"Mira, there's nothing in the Space Ranger Mission Manual about..."  
  
She glared at him. "Screw the damn manual. This baby is coming NOW!"  
  
"Jeez, you're irritable." He said and Mira shot him a look that clearly said die. "Okay, okay. But shouldn't we get a doctor?"  
  
"Buzz, look around. We happen to be in the middle of nowhere. You are going to have to be the doctor."  
  
"But Mira..."  
  
"Look, if you think I am thrilled about you seeing my…uh…never mind. We have no other choice, this..." A contraction caught her in mid sentence and she cried out in pain. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Please, help."  
  
"All right" Lightyear took her hand in his and squeezed it. "It'll be okay. I promise."  
  
The queen squeezed her eyes shut as another contraction took hold of her body. She breathed several short panting breaths as the pain came and went. Buzz watched her with concern and uncertainty. He wasn't exactly sure of what to do. In all his years as a ranger, he had never dealt with an alien birth, much less any other birth.  
  
"How do I…I mean, you're not human. I don't know…"  
  
"Look, despite what my people may want the rest of the galaxy to think, there aren't that many differences between humans and Tangeans." She said through gritted teeth. "Just help me."  
  
"All right." Lightyear sighed. He turned towards the cruiser and yelled. "Booster! XR! Help me! Bring more blankets!"  
  
Mira put her hands over her ears and glared at Lightyear. "Did you have to yell like that? I am having enough pain as it is, I don't need a headache too."  
  
"You know the storms interfere with the comm links." He watched as the other two rangers came racing towards their makeshift camp.  
  
"I only found two more blankets." XR said. He looked down at the Queen whose face and hair were sweaty, her eyes squeezed shut in pain. "Mira, you don't look so good."  
  
"Shut up." She glared at the robot, who seeing after seeing the expression on his friend's face decided to hide behind Booster.  
  
"Okay, let's get this baby delivered…" Lightyear said, taking a deep breath.  
  
  
  
"Still no word?"  
  
The Commander shook his head. "No."  
  
Nova sighed. "She is there. Alive. I can feel it."  
  
Neither man said a word for a few moments, both looking out at the stars in front of them. LGMs and other rangers went about their normal routines on the command deck, but there was definitely an air of tension that filled the area. Three rangers and a queen were unaccounted for.  
  
"I just hope Mira doesn't go into labor. Mira's mother had a difficult time of it and that worries me with my daughter."  
  
"Buzz will take care of her. Space rangers can handle anything." The Commander said, smiling.  
  
  
  
"C'mon dammit! Push!"  
  
"I can't. I'm so tired." The young woman wailed. "I'm so tired."  
  
"Mira, I know you're tired but I think you're almost through." Buzz said gently. "Now c'mon, just a few more pushes. Booster, help her."  
  
The large red alien helped prop Mira up, making it a little easier for her to push. XR stood next to the queen, holding a couple of blankets he had carried from the damaged cruiser and monitoring her life signs.  
  
"Okay, with the next contraction, big push." Lightyear ordered.  
  
The young woman nodded and pain hit a few seconds later. She summoned all of her strength and pushed as hard as she could, crying out from the pain and the exertion. Then she heard a cry that was not her own and she sank back against Booster, exhausted and trying to catch her breath. Mira smiled weakly at Buzz, who smiled back at her.  
  
"You did it!" He exclaimed. "It's a girl!"  
  
Aided by Booster, Mira attempted to sit up. "Let me see! Is she all right?"  
  
"She seems to be fine." Buzz said over the baby's wailing. He took one of the blankets from XR and gently cleaned the baby off. The other blanket was wrapped around the baby, the task made difficult by the child's squirming. But Buzz did the best that he could and he carefully handed the newborn to her exhausted, but happy mother.  
  
Mira, still propped up against Booster, took her child in her arms and smiled.  
  
"Ohhhh…" She breathed. "Look at her. She's so beautiful."  
  
The new mother looked down at her baby girl with amazement, inspecting the child's face and her tiny hands. The baby was paler shade of blue than Mira and she had her mother's red hair. The newborn princess let out a wail of protest as Mira shifted her slightly in her arms.  
  
"Yup, arguing and complaining right from the start. She's definitely Mira's child." XR commented, a grin playing across his metallic face.  
  
Mira shook her head and rolled her eyes, trying hard not to smile. The baby squirmed a bit in her arms and the queen looked down. She tenderly caressed the infant girl's cheek with her fingertips and tears filled her eyes.  
  
"I wish your father could have been here…" The queen whispered. The young woman was quiet for a few moments and then she spoke. "What do we do now?"  
  
"We make you comfortable and get that distress beacon launched. Hopefully we can get off this planet soon." Buzz said. He patted Mira's arm. "Now you just rest."  
  
The Queen nodded and looked once again at her child, praying silently to herself that she would get off of Khana'el 7 and the Terrin would see his new daughter. 


End file.
